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Massive show of strength by PSEB engineers against unbundling

Posted On :10-Sep-2009 00:00:00 News Source: Vinod Kumar Gupta
Patiala: PSEB Engineers did a massive show of strength at Patiala against Punjab Government move to unbundle PSEB without taking stakeholders particularly engineers into confidence.

PSEB Engineers Association had earlier decided to hold a protest march in Patiala but changed it on the management request that confirmed that the government has received a letter from Power Ministry giving further three months extension for completing the reform process. More than 1025 engineers from all over the state despite heavy rains attended the rally.

Engineers appreciated the efforts of the Chief Minister Punjab in getting the unbundling date extended by 3 months but regretted that although orders to this effect were issued on September 4 by the Central Government but the same was not communicated to state Government in time resulting in unfortunate incidents on Tuesday at Chandigarh leading to death of three persons and damage to public and private property.

Various speakers at the rally said that it is permissible under the Act to retain generation, transmission and distribution under one composite company as per judgment of Appellate Tribunal For Electricity. To meet the requirements of Electricity Act 2003 a separate company would be required. So PSEB can be converted in to one company as had been done by Kerala government.

HS Bedi President of the Association wondered if private companies can generate, transmit and distribute the power in its area of operation then why a State Electricity Board should not be permitted the benefit of integrated operation and how the same Act can be interpreted differently for state electricity boards and private companies?

Bhupinder Singh General Secretary of the association said that the restructuring of state electricity board is a high risk, low return and irreversible process which cannot be undertaken without clear objectives and the capacity to bear huge financial cost during transition period. He claimed that Gujarat Govt. during restructuring of its GEB has committed a total of Rs. 15352 Crore for five years i.e. an average of Rs. 3070.4 Cr per year. Similarly U.P. assumed the past liability of more then Rs. 31300 Crore by writing off state govt. loans, interest liabilities, CPSU liabilities plus owing employees terminal benefits & GPF liabilities amounting to over Rs. 8000 Crore. Punjab Government should be ready to bear the huge financial burden if it goes for formation of number of companies by restructuring PSEB.

Various speakers including Padamjit Singh, MS Bajwa, SC Chabba, Baldev Singh and SS Joshan addressed the rally.